7/13/12

Women & Girls series: Missrepresentation and Women in the Media

Growing up is series of struggles for members of both genders. Many
women, however, can pinpoint a certain year or even a day when they stopped
being the youthful kids on the playground and became aware of their
reflections.

A mother & her daughters in Central Park this Mother's Day.

At a screening of Missrepresentation, sponsored by Women in Children’s Media,
I engaged with women from all backgrounds who were eager to consider and dissect the media's
portrayal of our gender. The film served as a healthy reminder to evaluate the
types of
media we consume and thus perpetuate by giving it an audience. As the panel of 7th grades girls discussed that night, we were all shocked to see the
extent that the media
dictates and restricts standards of beauty.

The responsibility of change relies not just on the media, but upon ourselves. Too often we scrutinize
ourselves and others too-harshly, and unwittingly regulate the ideal of
feminine beauty. My previous post Women & Girls: ADHD, Eating Disorders, and Body Image discusses some of the problems that women and girls face who censor their bodies and eating habits in this way.

Instead, our message to each other should be one of support. As Rachel Maddow says in the film, “there is an
expectation that I will be a resource to other women.” That, my
friends, is the mentorship worth striving toward to
benefit this generation of women and the next.

What are you concerns about women and body image? Have you experienced similar realizations about how the media portrays women? Comment below or email me at WriteToJulianna. I'd love to hear your thoughts.